The invention relates to an oil pan, particularly for an internal combustion engine, having a protective contour member disposed on an outer wall thereof.
Oil pans for internal combustion engines, whose outer wall is provided with ribs for protecting the oil pan, particularly against strong mechanical impacts, e.g., caused by stones, are known in the art. An oil pan of this type is described, for example, in European patent application no. EP 1,041,253. The outside of the floor of the oil pan is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart ribs, a limited number of which have increased rigidity so that they are better able to absorb high mechanical forces.
The oil pan, which is located on the underside of the engine, must carry the full weight of the engine, particularly as the engine is mounted in the vehicle or when it is placed on the ground after having been removed for maintenance. The weight forces of the engine are supported by the ribs on the outside of the pan floor. This may cause problems if the engine is deposited at an angle, or if the ground is sloped or uneven, because some of the individual ribs are under substantially greater load than would be the case if the engine were placed evenly on the surface. In this case there is a risk that the ribs will break.
If a stone strikes the oil pan, damage to the pan cannot be ruled out despite the protective ribs because of the high momentum transmitted and the locally limited introduction of the force.